The ballet shoes were gone, and so was the gramophone and the barre.A variety of other equipment had taken their places—including the automaton, which, so far, had only been used as Callie’s punching bag—in the boxing ring Jasper had built right in the middle of the ballroom. He promised her it was exactly like the ring at Gentleman Jackson’s, if a little bit smaller.The full-length floor-to-ceiling mirror remained, but the side wall now housed a storage locker for her weapons. Jasper had started her with the Chinese war sword because it was huge and heavy and perfect for building strength and developing balance and agility.She’d taken so well to it, they’d moved on to the katana, the saber and twin Japanese warrior blades, all of which had their place in the cabinet, along with a selection of deadly ray-guns, pistols and even a pair of boots in her size, with spring-loaded knives brilliantly hidden in the thick soles.True to his word, Jasper had finally embraced her as his equal partner, ceased all talk of her taking up residence in the parlor like a normal, safe wife should, and had begun her training as soon as they arrived back home.They had even been on another assignment for General Black.
